In a conventional method of cutting labels from a web, a web, which may be made of paper, plastic, etc. is carried by a carrier web. The surface of the label web facing the carrier web has an adhesive thereon, and normally, the carrier web is treated with a release agent, such as silicone, to ease the peeling of the cut label from the carrier web.
The label web is cut with the desired shape of the label by a die with a continuous cutting edge so that the label, after removal from the label web, has smooth continuous edges which are pleasing in appearance and which are considered the most desirable in the label industry. However, the label web must be transported from the cutting apparatus, usually by pulling the web, to other apparatus, and the carrier web is needed not only to shield the adhesive but also to provide the strength necessary for such pulling and to prevent the cut labels from falling out of the label web. Such other apparatus can merely be a take-up roll from which the label web is supplied to further apparatus or the label web may be supplied directly to such further apparatus. Such further apparatus normally includes label removing and applying apparatus and can include label printing apparatus.
The carrier web can represent 40-60% of the cost of the material of the combined web and normally is discarded after the labels are removed. Furthermore, if the carrier web has been treated with silicone as a release agent, the carrier web cannot be recycled.
Accordingly, it is desirable to be able to eliminate use of the carrier web and still permit the label web to be processed, after it is cut, with conventional apparatus. However, to be commercially acceptable, the edges of the cut labels must have an appearance which, to the naked eye, is substantially the same as a label which has been cut with a die with a continuous cutting edge.
One attempt to solve such problem is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,920,122. In such patent, it is proposed that the continuous cutting edge of a cutting die be deformed or nicked at spaced portions so that there are cut-through portions of the label web spaced by bridges of uncut web which taper so that they are narrower at the label ends thereof. The width of the bridges at the label end is in the range from 0.015 in. to 0.045 in. and at the remnant end is in the range from 0.027 in. to 0.055 in. On the other hand, it is admitted in the patent that when the label is removed from the web, the bridges tear apart at some point between the connection of the bridge to the label and to the web remnant and a portion of the bridge will remain at the label edges. Thus, the dimension of the remaining portion of the bridge in the length direction of the label edge can be from 0.015 in. to 0.055 in. A remaining portion of such dimension is visible to the naked eye, and the patent indicates that such objectionable feature is offset by reason of the depression formed in the label edge and extending in the direction of the length of the web. Accordingly, not only does the appearance of the label edge not conform to the appearance of a die cut edge, but also a specially and difficultly formed die must be used.